Tool for holding magnetic tape on takeup reel



March 9, 1965 'r. L. FAWICK 3,172,131

TOOL FOR HOLDING MAGNETIC TAPE 0N TAKEUP REEL Filed July 13, 1962 INVENTOR.

THOMAS L. FAWiGK inn mu United States Patent 3,172,181 TOOL FOR HOLDING MAGNETIC TAPE 0N TAKEUP REEL Thomas L. Fawick, Shaker Heights, Ohio (Hotel Statler Hilton, Cleveland 14, Ohio) Filed July '18, 1962, Ser. No. 210,749 1 Claim. (Cl. 24-261) This invention relates to a tool for holding the leading end of an elongated flexible web, such as a magnetic record tape, in place on a takeup reel at the start of a winding operation.

In the use of magnetic sound record tapes on tape recorder machines it has been difiicult and inconvenient to hold the leading end of the tape in place on the takeup reel at the start of a winding operation, such as when a pre-recorded music tape is to be played back. The record tape must be held tight on the reel in some fashion or other while the reel is manually turned a suflicient number of turns that the overlap of the successive turns of the tape will prevent it from slipping. Prior to the present invention there was no arrangement for doing this which was entirely satisfactory.

The present invention is a novel tool which provides a convenient, effective and inexpensive solution to this problem.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel and improved tool for this purpose.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a tool which is simple and convenient to use and which may be manufactured inexpensively.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a presently-preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the present tool;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the tool, showing its normal condition in full lines and showing its compressed condition in phantom;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the tool at the start of its application to the tape and the takeup reel; and

FIGURE 4 is a similar view showing the final position of the tool and the tape on the takeup reel.

Referring to the drawing, the tool of the present invention is generally U-shaped in plan view (FIG. 2), presenting a pair of elongated opposite legs 11 and 12 joined by a bight portion 13. About one third of the distance from their free ends these legs are bent laterally outward to form diverging segments 14 and 15, respectively. About midway between the bight portion 13 and the beginning of the laterally bent segment 14, the leg 11 is formed with a downwardly projecting 'U-shaped segment 16 joined to an upwardly projecting inverted U- shaped segment 17, which in turn is joined to another downwardly projecting U-shaped segment 18. The other leg 12 is formed in the same way, the corresponding U-shaped projections being designated by the reference numerals 19, 20 and 21, respectively. Except at the respective projecting portions 1618 and 19-21, the bight portion 13 and the legs 11 and 12 lie in a common plane. The projecting portions 16-18 and 1921 extend perpendicular to this plane and extend on opposite sides of this plane, as well as extending perpendicular to the direc tion in which the respective legs 11 and 12 are elongated.

In one practical embodiment, the tool is made of ,4, inch diameter spring steel wire, with a length of approximately 3 inches.

The projecting portions 1618 and 19-21 on the tool enable it to be grasped conveniently between the users 3,172,181 Patented Mar. 9, 1965 thumb and fore-finger, as shown in FIG. 3. When the tool is grasped in this manner and its opposite legs pressed toward one another, the laterally bent end segments 14 and 15 of these legs are brought into abutting engagement throughout their length, as shown in phantom in FIG. 2 and in FIG. 3. When the user releases the tool, its opposite legs will spring back to the full line position shown in FIG. 2.

FIGURE 3 shows in fragmentary perspective the central hub portion of a t-akeup reel of common design for magnetic sound record tapes. The reel has a pair of axially spaced, opposite, flat end plates 22 and 23, each having three or more radial arms or spokes which are joined at their outer ends to a circumferential rim portion, not shown. Between its end plates 22 and 23 the reel presents a cylindrical hub surface 24 which is engaged by the leading end of the tape 25.

The reel is formed with one or more keyhole slots, each having a narrow opening 26 extending radially inward from the cylindrical hub surface 24 and a larger, generally circular opening 27 at the inner end of the narrow opening 26. This keyhole slot receives the leading end of the tape when the tool of the present invention is used.

Referring to FIG. 3, the leading end of the tape 25 is positioned lying on the cylindrical hub surface 24 of the reel and extending about one inch past the keyhole slot 26, 27. The tool is grasped by the user to bring its free end segments 14, 15 together, one behind the other, extending parallel to the axis of the reel and overlying the outward face of the tape 25 at the keyhole slots, as shown in FIG. 3. The user then moves the tool radially inward into the keyhole slot, with the abutting free end segments 14, 15 of the tool disposed one behind the other and forcing the adjacent portion of the tape into the slot. When the free end segments 14, 15 of the tool reach the larger portion of the slot, the user turns the tool (about the end segments 14, 15 as an axis) and releases the tool. The opposite legs 11 and 12 spring apart and pinch the tape against the opposite sides of the larger portion 27 of the keyhole slot, as shown in FIG. 4.

With the tool and the tape in this position on the reel, the user may now turn the reel as many turns as are necessary to provide enough tape overlap to prevent slippage of the tape. The tool holds the tape securely on the reel during these initial turns. After this has been done, the user may pinch the opposite legs of the tool together and remove it axially from the keyhole slot in the reel.

While FIGURES 3 and 4 show the preferred manner of using the tool, it should be understood that it is not absolutely necessary that both end segments 14 and 15 of the tool engage the tape of the larger portion 27 of the keyhole slot in the reel. The tool will still hold the tape in place if only the tool segment 14 engages the tape.

While a presently-preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that various modifications which depart from the disclosed embodiment may be adopted without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

A tool for holding the leading end of a flexible magnetic record tape on a takeup reel, said tool being substantially U-shaped lengthwise and comprising a pair of spaced, elongated, opposite legs of small diameter spring wire, each of said legs at its outer end having a straight free end portion longer than the width of the tape, a 'U-shaped bight portion of spring wire integral with said legs connecting the inner ends of said legs to each other and resiliently biasing said free end portions of the legs apart and permitting said legs to be pinched together manually, said straight free end portions diverging laterally away from each other toward their free ends when said legs are biased apart, said straight free end portions ex- References Cited by the Examiner tending in side-by-side engagement with one another UNITED STATES PATENTS throughout substantially their entire respective extents when said legs are pinched together, each of said legs hav- 1980398 12/13 Dfanms 294-85 ing a finger grip portion located inward from its straight 5 12505O0 12/17 P1P? 9 free end portion, each said finger grip portion being com- 3O62468 11/60 Braun posed of interconnected, reversely bent wire segments FOREIGN PATENTS formed integral with the respective leg and projecting sub- 7 337 75 21 Germany stantially perpendicular to the direction of elongation of said leg and extending on opposite sides of said leg. 10 DONLEY J. STOCKING, Primary Examiner. 

